Biz News: Forbes names 2 Sage Hill School grads on lists of young leaders

Two alumni of Sage Hill School in Newport Coast made Forbes’ “30 Under 30” lists for 2019.

The magazine noted Carolyn Witte and Luke Droulez, both Laguna Beach natives, as among young leaders in various fields.

Sage Hill said Witte, who graduated in 2008, and Droulez, a 2007 graduate, are the school’s fifth and sixth alumni to be named to the prestigious listing.

Witte, 28, was honored in the consumer technology category. She co-founded a San Francisco-based women’s healthcare company, Tia, in 2016. She previously worked for Google, where she did logo design and worked on the Gboard keyboard.

At Sage Hill, she was involved in varsity soccer, the newspaper and peer counseling and served as a student ambassador, according to a news release.

Droulez, 29, was honored in the retail and e-commerce category. He is chief marketing officer for Parachute Home, a bedding and bath linens brand based in Los Angeles. It sells online but plans to open 20 retail locations by 2020, Forbes reported.

Droulez was passionate about math, science and technology while at Sage Hill, according to a news release. He also was a director on a student council activities group.

Sage Hill is an independent high school with about 540 students. It opened in 2000.

“Having six students named to this list in the eight years the magazine has been publishing them is a testament to the innovative work we are doing here,” Head of School Patricia Merz said in a statement. “We are so proud of the range and scope of our graduates’ work and look forward to continuing to educate the next generation of leaders.”

Ruby’s Diner to celebrate 36 years with special

Ruby’s Diner, which opened its first location in December 1982 at the end of the Balboa Pier in Newport Beach, will celebrate its 36th anniversary by offering a $2.99 burger and fries special from 11:30 a.m. to closing time Wednesday at participating locations.

A dollar from every purchase of the special will be donated to the Ruby Dooby Foundation, which assists children’s charities.

For more information, visit rubys.com/rubys-diner-celebrates-36-years.

Newport senior facility getting a face lift

A 1960s-era assisted-living community in Newport Beach is being remodeled.

Newport Terrace Senior Living is being worked on by Irvine-based general contractor R.D. Olson Construction. The 120,000-square-foot community will receive a new south wing and renovations to the north building.

The new south wing at 393 Hospital Road will feature 85 residential units as well as amenities such as a kitchen, dining lounge and library.

The 45,000-square-foot north wing at 4000 Hilary Way will be renovated to contain 42 units for memory care and 42 for assisted living. It also will have amenities such as dining and gathering rooms, a music room and a card room.

Surterre debuts company rebranding

Newport Beach-based Surterre Properties, founded in 2006, recently completed a brand reboot, new logo and website and is using solar-powered glow-in-the-dark signage.

The revamped website, the result of a two-year process, allows things such as lead generation, client communication and market research to be done on mobile devices, according to a news release. It also uses artificial intelligence to boost site speed.

UPDATES:

5:10 p.m. Dec. 3: This article was updated with the item about Ruby’s Diner.

This article was originally published at 5:35 a.m. Dec. 1.